Kansas guard Kevin McCullar had waited for this day.
After TCU blew out KU by 23 in January, he had long-awaited revenge on his mind, which came to a head Monday night at Schollmaier Arena.
The Jayhawks found themselves up three points with 30 seconds left. TCU guard Shahada Wells attempted a layup, but McCullar blocked Wells twice and forced a jump ball. Officials ruled it was KU ball.
After about seven seconds, KU guard Jalen Wilson was fouled, but he missed the first free throw and Wells collected the rebound. He passed it to Damion Baugh, who missed a three-pointer, but Wells collected the offensive rebound with two seconds left. Wells missed the layup and McCullar collected the rebound.
McCullar got fouled with 1.5 seconds left. He sank both free throws to ice the game.
McCullar finally got his revenge as the Jayhawks escaped with a 63-58 victory on Monday night. He scored 15 points on 6-for-13 shooting from the floor and grabbed seven rebounds in 39 minutes.
Kansas coach Bill Self called McCullar’s performance “fantastic” after the game.
That loss to TCU in January? It is a rallying cry for a KU team with a 7-2 record since.
“They came in our house and they pretty much whooped us,” McCullar said. ”We came out flat that day. We’ve been preaching that ever since then.
“Try to start the game better. Come out with more energy and just execute and play together Play the right way. Today, we did that in a big road dub that we needed.”
Typically known for his defense, McCullar has upped his offensive output as of late.
Despite dealing with a sprained ankle, McCullar has averaged 13.6 points on 50% shooting from the field in his last five games. He’s primarily scoring through cutting, driving and fast break opportunities.
And he’s doing it without making jump shots; McCullar has been ice-cold from three-point land, shooting 1-for-11 (9.1%) from beyond the arc
His defense has also remained excellent; he helped limit TCU star guard Mike Miles to 13 points on 4-for-14 (28.6%) shooting.
McCullar showcased his defensive prowess and hustle late in the first half. Wells spotted up in the right corner and went up for a three-pointer, but McCullar sprinted from the other side of the court and blocked the shot.
“That’s a bad man right there,” Self said on the Jayhawks’ postgame radio show. “I didn’t know if I’d ever coach somebody with a defensive IQ like Marcus (Garret), but he’s got it.”
Garrett played four seasons at KU and won Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, so that is significant praise. Notably, Garrett was also one of Self’s all-time favorite players to coach.
McCullar’s poise in the clutch has inspired his younger teammates.
“Yeah, it’s huge,” said KU freshman Gradey Dick. “We got guys with that much experience and they’ve been here before. They just know how to play the game the right way.
“That’s just motivating because when I see them doing that, it just helps me to use my game to do the same thing.”
